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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte A5 comes at a lower midrange price making it significantly more affordable, with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, suitable for general use and moderate gaming. However, the MSI Stealth GS66, despite being significantly more expensive, offers a more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card which provide better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and high-end gaming. Moreover, the MSI has a higher battery capacity, a more premium build, and additional features like a higher screen refresh rate, making it a better choice for demanding users who require top-notch performance and are willing to pay a premium. If portability is a concern, both laptops are similar in weight, with the MSI being slightly lighter. If battery life is crucial, the MSI's larger battery could be a deciding factor. Ultimately, the choice should align with your budget and whether you need the extra performance and features that come with the MSI Stealth GS66. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.1
7.8
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Stealth GS66 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte A5 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3060 and a screen refresh rate of 144Hz, making it suitable for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Stealth GS66, with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a higher refresh rate of 360Hz, offers an advantage for smoother visuals and potentially better gaming performance. Both have high-quality screens, but the MSI's CPU and GPU offer somewhat stronger performance which might be noticeable in very demanding games and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS66 is considered very good for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and a better GPU compared to the Gigabyte A5, which are crucial for intensive tasks, although both have similar RAM and screen quality. Despite the Gigabyte A5's good portability and adequate performance, the MSI Stealth GS66, with its superior keyboard quality and slightly better screen colors, offers a more refined experience suitable for demanding engineering and design workloads.
Screen Quality
7.2
8.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Gigabyte A5 and MSI Stealth GS66 have panels with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, the high color accuracy and wide color gamut coverage of these laptops ensure that colors are represented faithfully, which is critical for professional visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates may hinder the smooth visual experience that's often necessary for fast-paced action and detailed animation rendering.
Build Quality
7.2
8.0
The MSI Stealth GS66 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte A5 offers a solid balance of performance with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia graphics suitable for everyday tasks and moderate gaming, along with a decent screen and sufficient battery life, while the MSI Stealth GS66 steps up with a higher-end Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU combination that excels in more demanding applications, and though it is more portable, it sacrifices some battery life compared to the A5. Both machines have enough RAM and storage for typical use, but the Stealth GS66 offers a better-quality keyboard and manages heat and sound more effectively, which is something to consider if you spend long hours on your laptop.
Content Creation
7.3
7.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.0
7.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Gigabyte A5 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte A5 | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.68 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.15" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
MSI Stealth GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A5 or the MSI Stealth GS66
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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